


Third Party Opinions

by afteriwake



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Aprons, Bisexual Greg Lestrade, Calm Mycroft Holmes, Dinner, Gay Mycroft Holmes, Greg Lestrade Has Retired From Scotland Yard, Greg Lestrade Has a Crush on Mycroft Holmes, M/M, Matchmaker OFC, Matchmaking, Mycroft Holmes Has a Crush on Greg Lestrade, Nervous Greg Lestrade, POV Greg, POV Greg Lestrade, Post-Canon, Pre-Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade, Professor Greg Lestrade, Rolled up Sleeves, Sexy Mycroft Holmes, Spit take, Teacher-Student Conversation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:28:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21970690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: It takes a third party’s opinion on the state of his relationship with Mycroft to convince him to make a move.
Relationships: Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade
Kudos: 103
Collections: Holmestice Exchange - Winter 2019





	Third Party Opinions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cam_elot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cam_elot/gifts).



> This was written for the 2019 Winter round of Holmestice for **Sasha**. I have another one that I started but got to be too large of an idea, so this was my submission instead.

“Professor Lestrade, sir?” The young woman who always sat in the front and asked the most interesting questions that came out of all of his criminal justice courses came up to him, blushing slightly. “I was...I was wondering...”

Greg looked up and gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re going to pass the course, Linette, I promise,” he said.

She relaxed. “Oh, good. My father...he wanted me to go into political sciences and follow in his steps, but I always thought it would be better to do what _I_ wanted.” She flashed him a wide grin. “He’s a fan of yours, though, so I think I lucked out.”

“Is he?” Greg asked, surprised. He’d published a few books based on his time in Scotland Yard, talking about cases he’d solved with the help of Sherlock Holmes, but he wasn’t used to hearing he had fans. Sherlock was usually the one with the groupies, thanks to John and his blogging, but ever since the two went public with their relationship the female groupies seemed to have faded away, which Sherlock said was a blessing.

Not that Greg minded female company, but as Sally had pointed out time and again, his wife taught him that female company didn’t always suit him.

He had tried, but he’d always known that just because a wife was expected at the time he’d been in the Yard didn’t mean that it was expected now. And academia had all sorts of different rules than the police force did when it came to same-sex relationships. And he was, he realized, very lonely.

But it wasn’t the idea of Linette’s father that made him think of all this. He knew her father was quite happily married to Linette’s mother, and that was that. But Linette’s father was a subordinate of the man who _had_ caught his fancy since Anthea had left to pursue a life away from the government.

Maybe Mycroft could take the same hint?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Probably not.

“...and Mr. Holmes has him over so often, it would be nice to have dinner with just my Mum and Dad this weekend, you know? I mean, not that Mr. Holmes joins _us_ , but...”

He realized at almost the same time that she did that his attention had wandered, and he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Linette. You were saying?”

“My Mum’s birthday is this weekend and I want to take my parents somewhere nice, but Mr. Holmes keeps calling my dad in all the time, and even when he doesn’t, it feels like there’s the expectancy that my father will be called in. I’d just like the weekend to be free, just this once.” There seemed to be a slight twinkle in her eyes, and he wondered exactly what her father thought of the relationship between himself and Mycroft. “Maybe you could help?”

“And just how should I do that?” Greg asked, taking a sip of his lukewarm coffee. He’d gotten so into the lecture that he’d forgotten it much of the time.

“Shag him senseless.”

Greg nearly choked on his coffee. Well. That answered what Linette’s family thought of his and Mycroft’s relationship. She did look surprised, or maybe a bit more worried that he was going to _actually_ choke, but she also had a smile on her face. “Does your father think I’m that obvious?” he asked when he got himself collected.

“He thinks you’d make Mr. Holmes happy. And not much makes him happy, as you know well.”

“Oh, that I do.” He set the coffee cup down and then looked at her, setting his hands on his hips. “And just what should I do to get him into bed?”

Her smile grew a bit. “Be honest. That’s all you need to do because Dad says he’s head over heels for you, he just needs a...push. But if you plan it so this weekend he’s occupied, I’d be most appreciative, and so would my mum. We might even get Dad to stop talking about the two of you long enough to have a good meal somewhere.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he said. Linette gave him a thumbs up and then left, leaving him in his lecture hall all by himself. He had to admit, if Mycroft really needed a push, maybe he’d needed this one as well. He was lonely and had been since the divorce was finalized. He’d seen Sally navigate the dating scene, and it was daunting, something he hadn’t wanted to deal with. He’d decided to cultivate his friendships instead, and he hadn’t expected to end up fancying Mycroft in the end of it. He was grateful for their friendship, but was he ready for more? Was that what he needed? What Mycroft wanted? There were so many questions and he wasn’t sure what the answers were, or at least he hadn’t been sure.

But maybe...well, a third party opinion had seemed to be needed. Now he just needed to see if said opinion was the right one.

**\--–**

He had called Mycroft to see if they wanted to share a whiskey that evening and wasn’t surprised that Mycroft had suggested they do so at his home. Mycroft was never really one for the two of them being in public together, or even being in public when he was by himself, so he had gotten to know Mycroft’s home well. And there was the fact Mycroft seemed to like his home, now that he’d moved into a more respectable bachelor flat.

Maybe he should have seen that was a sign that they were comfortable in each other’s presence. He knew that it wasn’t that Mycroft was ashamed of their friendship, but the fact that Mycroft chose to spend time with him in private was important. He knew Mycroft had few confidants and fewer friends, and he wanted to keep those relationships close to the vest. It had never made him think that Mycroft was afraid their own friendship would have been misconstrued, and he certainly wasn’t about to start thinking it now.

He’d gotten a bottle of A’Bunadh by Aberlour from Sally when she told him she was expecting her first child just months after her engagement and would he please walk her down the aisle? And of course he would, he was chuffed she’d asked, and they’d agreed the bottle would be used for a significant event in his life. And this...well, this might be just the right occasion.

Linette’s father Brian answered the door when Greg knocked, and he glanced down to the small gift bag he held and grinned. “Good news?”

“Hoping so,” Greg said with a grin.

“Wish you the best mate,” he said as he squeezed by Greg to head to the waiting car. Mycroft must be in a good mood to dismiss him early, but that meant just the two of them would be around and if the subject of what, exactly, their relationship should entail was going to be broached, it’d be best if it was just the two of them. He shut the door behind him once he stepped inside, locking it out of habit and then made his way to the study. That was his favorite room in Mycroft’s home, as it seemed to be the warmest when they sat in the overstuffed seats and had a fire going while watching classic films on the projector, each of them absorbed in the hard to find movies Mycroft seemed to never have any trouble finding and content with the company for the evening.

But he wasn’t there. Instead, there was a note to go to the kitchen on the study door, and Greg had to admit, he was intrigued.

His steps echoed as he made his way to the dark, cavernous room. It was never like his own kitchen, full of warmth and light, and it was almost depressing to be int here to put food away or to get a glass of water to go with his single malt. But tonight, there was more light and the smell of something good. “Cooking?” he called out as he got into the doorway.

“I thought it was appropriate for the evening,” Mycroft said. His face was illuminated by the light and he even had a white apron on over his clothes. Greg noticed that his suit jacket was off, his shirtsleeves were rolled up, and the top few buttons of his shirt were undone. There was no tie, and it was a sight that made him hope he was successful tonight. Nothing was as intoxicating as the sight of a man in a waistcoat with their shirt rolled up, though he had to admit, the apron around the waist was also endearing.

“And what are we eating?” Greg asked, setting the gift bag with the bottle of whiskey next to Mycroft. Mycroft wiped his hands on a towel and then pulled out the bottle, looking at it approvingly before getting two glasses and some ice. He remained silent as he poured the whiskey over the ice and then handed a glass.

“Linguine with a cream sauce, spinach, and shrimp,” Mycroft said.

“Cheat day?” Greg asked with a smile before taking a sip.

“A...special occasion,” Mycroft said. He studied his glass for a moment and then held it up in Greg’s direction. “To new beginnings.”

“And...new relationships?” Greg asked.

“If you’re willing,” Mycroft murmured. Greg grinned and tapped his glass against Mycroft’s, watching Mycroft take a sip and then lick his lip, a hooded heat in his eyes. He had the feeling Linette would, indeed, get her father a weekend of freedom this weekend...and maybe many many more afterward.


End file.
